Saw that Brappy gave it a positive review on his B-day notes thread, so we cracked it.

Garnet in color, nose and flavors of juicy red and black fruits, lively in the mouth with some acidity, nice polished tannins for structure, hint of dark chocolate and vanilla on the finish. Blend is 57% Merlot, 39% Cab Sauv, and 4% Syrah from Columbia Valley sources, and each brings a little something to the table. Dandy QPR wine, and one of the best "daily drinkers" we've had in awhile. Easy case purchase decision, and easily the best CMS we've had from Hedges. It's a good thing that this workhorse wine is produced in large quantities, as we'll be drinking quite a bit of it in the next couple of years. 13.5% alc. We paid $10.99 locally. Hard to beat this at the price point.

Finally got around to making another trip to the local shop for more daily drinking wines, but they were out of the '04. So, we move on to the '05 vintage, and it's every bit as good. The blend is a bit different, but I've tossed the bottle, so I can't give %ages. Regardless, it still shows the same juicy red and black fruits with polished tannins and a little bit of chocolate and red spice on the finish. Good daily drinking stuff, and it should be a good foil for much of our regular summer grillin' fare. We picked the bottle up for $9.99, and it's an easy decision to buy it by the box. Year after year, very consistent and reliable, which is admirable.

Another bottle with friends as a porch drinker on All Hallows Eve. Consistent notes, even if the chocolate note seemed absent. Still drinking nicely, which is good, since we have several in the cellar as daily drinkers for the next few months. It's a well-crafted bottle, and it offers a good value.